Reality Undone
by Fusiko
Summary: Two years and still nothing. Sakura keeps waiting hoping for the best. All their past missions have failed, will this one be any different? [SasuxSaku]
1. Chapter 1: Once Again

Whoohoo! I've been trying to type this story up for 4 days now. Shameful I know but at least I finally got it out. So I hope you all enjoy this. Don't own the characters but it would have been cool if I did.

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A certain pink haired kunzite was resting her head, ignoring the calm of the sounds of the world outside. A few footsteps echoed behind her, growing and fading as the hospital inhabitants made their routine checkups. It was a slow day, but more so for her. A year had passed, then two and with each day, her heart sank a little more. It grew heavier, as her smiled grew faker. She still believed every morning that when she'd wake, if she'd pass by the village's entrance she'd see him there, him, the boy who had left them all behind. He who strived for so much power that betrayal was by no means an impossible deal, that same raven-haired boy who had fought besides her before, shielded her, protected her., a prodigy and an orphan, his cold demeanor a sad result due to his tragic past. A teammate, a friend, her first love, all in a single moment, had up and walked away not bothering to look back. Countless failed missions followed after, with and every attempt ending in total and utter failure. With each hope, their expeditions brought the reality of their situation only made the wound in her heard reopen, over and over and over again. "But I'll still wait." She whispered to herself. "I'll see him again." His famous smirk flashed in her mind. "We'll find him." His emotionless face crossed her thoughts. "He'll come back." Then the imaged of him changed to him walking away, disappearing into the darkness.

"Sakura-san, Tsunade-sama is calling for you." Raising her head, the heartbroken kunzite nodded, her rehearsed smile playing on her pink lips.

"Alright, thank you." The nurse nodded before slipping away, sliding the door shut. _One Day. _

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"This is an S-rank mission, so I know you all…" The sound of the door sliding open averted everyone's attention. "Ah Sakura, perfect. Now as I was saying this is an S-rank mission. Caution is not an option." A familiar blonde haired ninja was nodding vigorously. "Is that understood Naruto." Still nodding, his head jerked up.

"What! Why me!" The hokage stood up, her chair shaking, threatening to fall over as her desk trembled from the pounding her fist upon it, causing a few papers to fly to Shizume's dismay.

"I mean you in particular because you act impulsively! Use that empty head of yours for once!" The woman bellowed.

"Tsunade-obachan!"

"Naruto." Sakura warned, noticing an all too familiar sign in the hokage's stance. I _Just a little more and she'd have blown. /I _Shikamaru rolled his eyes, a little irked at having been paired up with Naruto once again.

_ This is just troublesome. Not only is this an S-rank mission, but I have to deal with Naruto also. This is just making my head hurt. _Rubbing her temples, Tsunade sat down, closing her eyes trying to calm herself down. Her mind was filled with numerous thoughts, ranging missions, assignments and gambling bills that seemed to keep coming each day from every place imaginable, all of them fighting for attention.

"Tsunade-sama what are we doing exactly?" Sakura asked, unsure due to her late arrival.

"We think we've found Orochimaru's hideout." Shikamaru answered for her. Sakura's body tensed, her heart nearly skipping a beat.

"Orochimaru." She managed to say softly. The hokage nodded curtly, watching her young apprentice closely. It was a given what the girl's feelings ere. There wasn't a person that knew her who was oblivious to that simple fact. That in itself made her participation in the mission a risky one, but one in which the hokage found having no choice in allowing. The risks involved were too high to not have a medic-nin readily available.

"You know what to do. Shikamaru can fill you in on the details." She continued, breaking eye contact with her. "Stay on your guard, there's no need to push yourselves. There isn't a need for any of you to die, remember that." The three shin obis nodded, leaving the hokage's office in silence, all knowing what she meant. It was the same with every past mission given before. Go in, seek out Sasuke and at the first sign of immediate danger pull out and return to the village. It had been too long now to risk anymore. It was obvious where he stood, his revenge, his thirst for power would keep him by the Sanin's side until he accomplished his goal or lost his body in the process. Sakura shuddered at the thought.

_There's only a year left. He's safe for another year. _

"…So we'll meet at the entrance in an hour. Pack light Naruto." The kyuubi-vessel hmphed but said nothing.

"Shika…"

"I'll fill you in on our way." He replied, turning away for his home. Sakura sighed, slightly irked at having to wait clenching her fist tightly. She held back the angry words that were pooling inside her mouth, ignorant to Naruto's quickened exit for his home, to avoid his teammate's wrath. _More waiting, it's always more waiting. _Calming herself, she sighed felling slightly defeated. "Why rush, it's not like I don't know what it's about anyways." Thought that didn't make her feel any better.

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"You're joking?"

"Does it sound like a joke?" Sakura bit her lip, the information relayed to her having upset her more than she had imagined it would have. _This whole time, we've searched for so long. _ She closed her hands into tight fists, angry at herself, angry at the world and more so at fate itself for messing with them all this entire time.

"So close." She muttered to herself. The three flew from treetop to treetop, quickly leaving their beloved village behind, Shikamaru's plan well implanted within their skulls. Jumping with vigor of excitement was Naruto. He had never forgotten his promise to Sakura and although he had failed to keep his word countless of times before he refused to let this chance join with the rest, in a pile of ruined failure.

"Yosh! This time I'll drag Sasuke back here with broken legs for sure." Shikamaru who was closer to the blonde sighed, having heard his mutterings.

_This is troublesome._ "We're nearing the border so don't do anything rash!" He couldn't help but glance at the oblivious blonde. Sakura felt every nerve in her body fire. Her stomach seemed to tighten as her nervousness grew. With every dream and every prayer, they had all begun the same, finding the strayed Uchiha. She only hoped that unlike her dreams and unanswered prayers, he wouldn't disappear once again into the darkness. Sakura pressed her lips together, her determination holding fast. She wouldn't lose her resolve; she wasn't the same girl anymore. She had proved that once to everyone before and she would do it once again. She was stronger and well balanced now. Unlike before, she could rely on more than her knowledge. She could put it all to use, she had new techniques, new skills. Jumping off another branch, she feeling her courage build with each step she knew she could do it.

They leapt another step when Shikamaru's arm shot out, signaling them to stop. Placing his forefinger in front of his lips, they nodded, crouching amongst the leaves silently. Shikamaru was sure of it; he had heard a branch snap. _It wasn't because of carelessness that's for sure. I was hoping our presence would have gone unnoticed for a while longer. _Scanning the area Shikamaru saw no signs of anyone, but he knew better than to let his guard down. Naruto a little confused hoped over by Sakura whispering his question in mind to her.

"Oi, Sakura-chan why have we stopped?"

"Because we're not alone that's why Naruto." She hissed back. No matter how much older he got he was still oblivious to the obvious. Shikamaru looked back at them with a stern look in his eye. Naruto winced when he felt himself flying across the wood. Sakura barely let out an "Ah." When she felt herself being thrown back in the opposite direction. Shikamaru cursed aloud jumping up from where he was crouching, barely in time to avoid the attack. He got a quick glimpse of dark hair, before he landed a few feet away. Naruto stirred, his head throbbing greatly. He groaned slowly rising to his feet. "Naruto!" Sakura having already recovered from her blow yelled as their attacker charged at the unsuspecting boy. Naruto looked up to see a fist decorated with sharp razors aiming for him. Eyes wide, he didn't have enough time to react. Just as the fist inched closer to the hyperactive ninja, it stopped, barely grazing the skin. A single drop of blood trickled down Naruto's cheek a small scratch appearing from the light touch. Shikamaru, breathed as the sweat dripped off his chin. Just another second and he would have been too late. Naruto fell back on his rear a little shaken.

"Naruto get up, we're not done here." Quickly scrambling to his feet Naruto went through the hand signs bringing fourth four clones, three flying out into the forest to scan the immediate area. Shikamaru made his way to the trapped ninja knowing he'd have to make it quick before he used up the majority of his chakra. "Why are you attacking us?" He asked the masked shinobi figuring it was pointless to bother and as he predicted received no answer. "Great." Shikamaru mumbled. "How troublesome." Nodding to Naruto Shikamaru released his hold as Naruto charged at the enemy shinobi. Dodging the attack, the masked ninja made for the forest when he was knocked into the ground by the forgotten kunzite.

"Good job Sakura-chan!" Sakura smiled as she went to unmask their attacker as one of Naruto's clones returned. The other two having been defeated by an unknown ninja. Shikamaru closed his eyes, as he tried to think. Things were getting more complicated than he hoped. "Oi, Shikamaru! Stop sleeping, we have to get Sasuke!" Naruto yelled.

"Naruto stop yelling, there's no point in running out their without a plan." Sakura growled. Frowning, Shikamaru found the whole situation troublesome.

"Let's go." He muttered dully, jumping back up into the trees.

"What?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

"There's no point in wasting time here. We'll keep forward. Just be on the lookout. This was just a warning from the sound village so we'll have to play it on the safe side. Stick close and no one run off." Naruto was fine with the idea as long as they kept moving. Following Shikamaru, they left the pink haired kunzite behind. Taking a last look around at the sound ninja they had defeated she jumped up after them. They slowed their pace, checking every inch that they passed for traps or signs of the enemy.

_He might not be here anymore. _Sakura thought as she looked at a broken branch bringing it to Shikamaru's attention. Changing direction, they continued through the treetops. Focusing her attention to the left, Sakura could sense a different chakra. Looking up at Shikamaru he nodded having picked it up as well. Naruto for once was aware of the extra presence, readying his hand to his weapon pouch pulling out three kunais. Throwing them out he blocked three of the five that shot at them. Sakura jumped out of the way, as Shikamaru stopped the other.

"Impressive for little worms." Two figures appeared, both their foreheads adorned with the sound villages symbol.

"Who are you calling worms ugly!" Naruto shot back feeling himself burning with anger.

"And feisty." The smaller of the two sound ninjas commented grinning maliciously. "This is as far as you go brats." Losing his temper Naruto used his famous jutsu charging forward with four clones, all of them attacking the taller shin obi. The attack ended in failure as the sound ninja pulled out a whip, slashing at the air, causing a howling sound that vibrated through the clones defeated them one after the other, and sending Naruto flying back. The smaller sound ninja attacked the remaining two, only to find logs I their place.

"Replacement jutsu!"

"That would be correct." Shikamaru responded standing behind the unsuspecting shin obi, keeping his hold on him. Panicking the sound ninja called to the other his words as clear as ever what the meaning held.

"Tell him to go!" The other ninja disappeared, not wasting a second. Without thinking, Sakura went after him, ignoring the calls from her teammates. Throwing a kunai out, just as expected, it was dodged giving her the opening she needed. Sending her fist forward she made contact with his jaw, seconds after he had called out.

"Sasuke-sama! Run!" His body flipped forward crashing through a tree before hitting the ground limply.

_Sasuke! _Hearing the name, her green orbs darted around searching for the raven-haired boy. _There. _Fifteen feet from her, stood the boy who had eluded them all this time. Sakura froze, her mind unable to believe what her eyes were showing her. "Sasuke…kun." She whispered almost afraid that her words would cause her to wake and find herself back in her room, alone and disappointed, yet again. Saying nothing , Sasuke turned around leaving Sakura standing alone.


	2. Chapter 2: Here and Now

It took only a second before Sakura realized she had been left alone. Pressing her lips together she sped off after their strayed comrade. It wasn't too long till she spotted him, having forgotten just how fast he could be she had to go at her maximum speed to keep up with him as he zipped through the foliage with the utmost ease. Slowly she started to close the gap between them, far from unnoticed. Irritation was building up in the Uchiha as he pushed off roughly from the branch he leapt on moments ago, increasing his pace. He wasn't going to fight her, not here and not now. She wasn't on his list, she wasn't his concern nor was he going to waste his time. Yet no matter how hard he tried she persisted. Cursing he had no choice but to try something else.

Changing directions he disappeared to his left, but wasn't out of view for long. Grunting he jumped up, throwing a score of kunais at the determined girl. Sakura jumped back only to feel her arms being pinned behind her, a body close to hers. "Stop following me." A gruff voice came from behind her. Wincing, Sakura took a deep breath, kicking her legs up and over her, aiming for Sasuke, narrowly missing. Again and again she kept attacking him, a series of missed blows, blocks and thrown kunais. Panting she didn't stop, she wouldn't stop.

Sasuke was trying his hardest to avoid combat but she wasn't leaving him any choice. He didn't want to, no he didn't want to go this far, she was no longer part of his life. That life which he had left behind, the one that was getting him nowhere. "Go back."

"No."

"I won't keep holding back."

"Then don't!" Her response surprised him. He stood facing her, five feet of air between them. The leaves rustled around their heads, a few falling to the small clearing below them, slowly twirling until they stopped altogether. There she stood; the greatest looked of determination etched in her face. Her eyes shined brightly, a look he had never seen in them before or perhaps he would have if he had seen her the time she had battled Ino during their chuunin exams. She was serious, and no matter what he did she wasn't going to leave him alone.

"Annoying…as always." He muttered activating his sharigan. A look of fear flashed momentarily in her eyes, as she clenched her fists at her sides. He was getting serious now. She would have no chance and this she knew but it was too late for that, she wasn't going to run. And in an instant it happened. Time seemed to have slowed down, the branches swayed, pushed by the wind to one side at such a pace it seemed almost motionless. She saw him charge towards her, those red eyes never looking away. Closer and closer he came at her, yet she couldn't move. Then time speed up, Sasuke's punch sent her flying down, crashing loudly into the ground. She cried out, wincing at the pain. It hurt her, more so than she ever imagined it could hurt, her heart slowly squeezing itself to shut out the pain. Even though he warned her, she never really believed he would actually hurt her, attack her.

Sasuke looked down at her, guilt racked up high in him, but what else could he have done? One last look and he made to leave wanting to forget that any of this had ever taken place. "Is…that all?" He stopped, looking back down as Sakura slowly rose to her feet, once again taking up her fighting stance. Again he was surprised. He watched her, looking for any signs of her wavering, but he knew he'd never find it.

"Go back."

"Stop telling me that! I'm not! I won't! If you want me to go back so badly then fight me!" She yelled shutting her eyes tightly in anger. She hadn't meant to yell, she hadn't meant to say anything at all and yet she did realizing a bit of all that anguish that had been slowly building up insider her all these years. Jumping down, Sasuke still kept his distance from her. He would have no choice, he'd have to fight. He'd have to go where he never wanted to. Fighting Naruto was one thing, never did he wasn't to fight Sakura. As annoying as she was, he had grown used to her presence. Her voiced worries, complaints and compliments. Even if they were no longer teammates he didn't want this.

He cursed himself, hating the turmoil she was creating for him. Onyx eyes met emerald, neither blinking. "What if I don't?"

"Then come back."

"No."

"Then fight me."

"I have no reason to."

"You may not but I do." Nothing, not a single thing was reflected in his eyes nor his face, emotionless as always. "I'm not the same. I'm stronger now, so I'm not running away." He listened wondering what she was trying to get at with all of this. "And everyday I keep waiting; I just keep waiting for you to come back. To realize this isn't the way. But you never came back, you're still with him. After everything you still couldn't think to rely on me, your teammate. I would have done anything, everything in y power to help you, but you never asked. You never asked…" Her voice trailed, as she lowered her gaze to the ground. She seemed almost lost in thought, struggling with her anger and sadness that battled within her.

Sasuke merely watched her, her words bouncing off of him, each falling on deaf ears. He made his choice, and no one was going to tell him otherwise. He wasn't going to look back. "I'm going to bring you back." The words were low, almost inaudible. "Even if you don't feel this way anymore, you're still my teammate, my friend…" Steadily her voice grew, "And I'm not going to turn my back on you!" Sasuke stood there in silence. Nothing changed. "You don't care, but I mean it." Slowly she raised her head looking him square in the eyes. "I'm not going to lose." Pulling out a kunai she threw it at him, initiating her attack.

Again her efforts fruitless as he dodged, returning the attack, his reaching his aimed point, slightly grazing her arm. Attack after attack, block after block, Sakura to back down.

This was getting no where, and Sasuke knew it. He was holding back, so he pushed it up a notch, slowly the curse seal crawly out, wrapping itself over his skin. Sakura's eyes widened as she watched it. It was that same mark which started it all. "No!" She yelled swinging her fist at him, sending him back quite a ways before he regained his footing.

_That force. When did she?_

"Don't fight me with that, that thing! You don't need it!"

"Mind your own business."

"I won't! That's not the way! That will never give you what you want! Stop relying on him!" Echoing above them, her voice rang on, birds flying across the sky, frightened by the commotion. "Use your own strength." She whispered, glimpsing up at him. He balled his fists in anger.

"Stop lecturing me." He growled, his patience reach its limits. "This power is what I wanted."

"Just stop." She breathed, her voice wanting to fail her as tears pooled at the corners of her eyes. "Please."

"Leave me alone. I said it before you're annoying. So go back, alone." If he had to he'd take it up to the second level, anything now just to show her he wasn't joking, that this wasn't a game. His words shot right through her, painfully rapping at her insides. Her words were useless to him, she was just a bother. Again he was slipping farther and farther away from her back to that point where she could no longer reach him. His stubbornness and blindness keeping him rooted to his ill path. Words were useless now, and it seemed they may always be. Something inside of her snapped an anger that had been buried deep inside her emerged. She clenched her fists that anger doubling over. Marching up to him, he eyed her readying himself to move in case she tried something. Closing the distance between them, Sasuke made to step back but was stopped before he could begin to move.

Pain shooting all through his right cheek, slowly a red mark appeared on his face, just as the curse mark receded. His ebony eyes wide with shock. Lowering her arm, Sakura cried, each tear pouring right after the other. She felt so tired and angry but all she could do was cry. Dropping down to a crouch, she kept up her sobbing, each gasp for air sounding more pitiful. Letting the slap register fully he turned to her. No matter what she said she _was _with all her new strength and confidence, fundamentally she was still the same girl who could easily be brought to tears. He had gone too far, he had pushed her too far. He hadn't wanted this; he wanted to be left alone, to do this his way.

Guilt panged at his chest as he crouched down to her level, when he noticed it. She was bleeding, her garments soaking up the substance, staining them an even deeper shade of red. Reaching out, he touched the wound, earning what he figured was a cry of pain. "You're bleeding." He said dryly. Sniffling, Sakura looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face. Dizzy she had felt, but she ignored it. She didn't want to appear weak; she didn't want to back down. Yet there she was crying before him.

"Sorry." She muttered feeling suddenly foolish.

"Why? I was the one who hit you."

"Because of me." She pulled away from him, not wanting to appear this way to him. Sasuke sighed looking away. Things were definitely getting troublesome.

"You should have gone back." Sakura said nothing, just sat silently sinking in her misery as the pain in her side repeatedly reminded her of her injury. This was getting nowhere, running his fingers through his hair he muttered something to her. This caused Sakura to look up at him, a confusion enveloping her. She nodded slowly still unsure that she had heard him correctly. He looked down at the wound he had inflicted upon her, avoiding her eyes not wanting to sink into further guild. Two voices were battling inside his head. One to leave, to go away and leave his ex-teammate there injured, to go back to Orochimaru and keep up with his training. The other scolding him for such thoughts, pushing him to help her, to stay with her until she was alright. They raged on inside his troubled mind, as he ripped his shirt sleeve, slowly wrapping her wound, working to stop the bleeding before she lost anymore. He already noticed her complexion growing paler, almost deathly.

He hated to admit it but it worried him. Time and isolation could never truly sever a true bond of camaraderie. Their team had gone through a lot together and even though he said he had severed those ties, he knew, he always knew deep down that was a lie. He had just set them aside, stowed away to no think about them for fear they'd get in the way of his objective. Slowly almost gently he patched up the gash, not wanting to utter a word. Just finish this and leave. "Why?" He stopped. "Why?" Sakura asked again, confusion and pain dancing in her tone, her gaze never moving from the spot on the ground before her. How was he supposed to respond to that? Why he left? She knew why. Why he never went back? She knew as well. Why he was still her with her? He didn't know. So he said nothing, finished up with her wound, checking it over and rising to his feet ready to disappear once again. "Why can't…why…" She wanted to cry again. Just let the tears spill from her weary eyes. "Can't you use your own strength?"

Her words echoed in his mind, quieting the voices that had been tormenting him. "Why him?" She tore her gaze from the ground, bringing it up to the raven haired ninja before her. _Just like my dream. _She thought seeing his back to her, ready to leave her behind once again. Sasuke found himself facing her, staring into her wide eyes as she gazed up at him, battle word and desperate for an answer, for a sense of understanding.

"I…don't know." The words rolled off his tongue. The truth in them so on the mark it puzzled him He really didn't know. He had once been so sure this was the only way, the only choice he had left. Yet now that certainty had been dismissed. He didn't know. Sakura could only smile in response, her head feeling light and Sasuke suddenly looking rather distant to her.

"That's…alright." She whispered slumping forward. Within an instant she was held up by Sasuke, a reaction without any thought. He could hear the sounds of others coming, her name being called as they searched for her. One he recognized well enough.

"Naruto." He thought to leave, more like he tried to but found himself unable to move. He had gotten to close; he couldn't leave her like this. Her features were fully visible to him as he shifter her body, so she'd fit better in his arms. He had never really looked at his female comrade, finding her too bothersome, too cheerful and loud spoken. He had never noticed just how delicate she truly looked, fragile, innocent, a beauty all her own. Her hand twitched slightly, shifting the Uchiha's attention. Every so often her fingers would jerk slightly. Her lips parted, words wanting to form but had somehow gotten caught in her throat. Hi watched her, figuring she had to be dreaming.

"Do…don…don't…go." Her mutterings began, puzzling him. "Don't…go…please…Sasuke." She was dreaming about him, and still he was tormenting her, not giving her peace even in sleep. Reaching out he held her hand in his, letting the warmth from his touch comfort her, reassure her.

"I won't." He whispered, partially to her, partially to himself, and partially to the wind, least it carry it back to his last teacher. "I won't."

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Whooha!Ok I'm thinking of _perhaps _writing a sequel to this. Not sure if I do though. If any of you want a sequel just let me know.


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